Son Of Man Charged In SF Park Death Arrested For Hit-And-Run

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SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) – The son of a San Francisco city worker accused of running over and killing a woman in a Bernal Heights park last month was himself arrested on suspicion of hit-and-run after his father’s court hearing on Wednesday, police and prosecutors said.

Jonathan Burnoski, 19, was involved in a collision with a bicyclist at about 3:15 p.m. Wednesday at San Jose Avenue and Regent Street in the city’s Outer Mission neighborhood, police spokesman Officer Albie Esparza said.

Burnoski’s car was contacted on its right rear side by the bicyclist, who fell to the ground and suffered injuries that are not considered life-threatening, Esparza said.

Burnoski kept driving and was followed by a witness, who called police. Officers responded and arrested the teen at his home, Esparza said.

He has since posted $15,000 bail and the case has been discharged pending further investigation, said district attorney’s office spokesman Alex Bastian, who said investigators are waiting to interview an additional witness to the incident.

“We’re currently evaluating the case and will make an informed charging decision once the investigation is complete,” Bastian said.

Burnoski’s father, Thomas Burnoski, a 58-year-old San Francisco Recreation and Park gardener, was in court earlier Wednesday to be arraigned on charges of felony vehicular manslaughter and leaving the scene of an accident.

Prosecutors said the elder Burnoski drove over 35-year-old Christine Svanemyr, who was lying in the grass with her infant daughter at Holly Park on the afternoon of Sept. 5.

Prosecutors said he was taking a shortcut off of the designated path for city vehicles, while his defense attorney said he veered from the path to avoid an unleashed dog that ran in front of his truck and did not know he hit Svanemyr.

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